


Burnt

by Burgie



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F, F/M, Miqo'te WoL, female WoL, multiple WoLs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:21:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25956667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Thancred debriefs with Minfilia after the fight with Ifrit.
Relationships: different WoLs though, implied Minfilia Warde/Warrior of Light, implied Thancred Waters/Warrior of Light
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Burnt

Ifrit was defeated. The day was won. The followers of Ifrit would be dealt with, while the tempered… well. There was no escaping the inevitable, as Thancred had told the group of adventurers that Zelda had put together. There had been more than a few grim faces at his news, as he’d expected. Though, he hadn’t missed the ears of a certain miqo’te perking up as he’d mentioned that Minfilia would be awaiting their triumphant return.

As Thancred arrived at the Waking Sands (which still looked just the same as ever, if a little more lively these days), he was a little glad that he’d told Solar to report to the Flames first. Though, not for the most noble of reasons, he would admit. Though Thancred tried to keep a friendly, casual look about him as he walked towards the doors to the Solar, his face changed as soon as he opened the doors. Minfilia saw, and the smile that had arisen briefly to her lips now fell.

“Thancred,” said Minfilia, rounding the desk to better speak with him. “How went the mission? I know that it went well and that Ifrit was defeated, yet I’d still have a report from you, all the same.” Thancred sighed.

“Zelda led Solar to a resounding victory against the primal,” said Thancred. “Unfortunately, I could not be there in time to help them.”

“And is that regret born of genuine regret that you couldn’t help, or simply that you could not share in the glory?” Minfilia asked. The old Thancred, she knew, would have mourned the loss of glory. But, of late, he’d… changed. Mayhap it was the effect of the Calamity. Or perhaps he genuinely longed to be out there adventuring with them.

“What if they had needed my help?” Thancred asked, looking into her eyes, his fingers twisted together, palms clasped. “I just…” He pulled his hands apart, fisting them at his sides. “Well, I feel useless, quite frankly. Am I growing old before my time?”

“Yet you helped out Solar with those demons, did you not?” Minfilia asked, remembering tales of several demons that Solar had fought with the help of the Scions.

“Aye, I did, but… where have I been lately?” Thancred asked. “I hate standing idly by while things happen.”

“Thancred, we cannot always help others by way of fighting,” said Minfilia. “I know this better than any. You need not risk life and limb simply to prove your worth to the world.”

“Some might disagree,” said Thancred. He shook his head. “They could have died or been tempered, Minfilia.”

“I know,” said Minfilia. “Yet the Echo protected them.”

“They did not know that beforehand,” said Thancred. “I did not know that beforehand. I could have lost her.”

“Which of the ladies of Solar have you won over now?” Minfilia asked, perhaps in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Zelda,” said Thancred. “If you must know. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so strongly about anyone. And I almost lost her today.”

“Zelda is a perfectly capable woman,” said Minfilia. “As is her team. You know this.”

“I do, but… well, you were worried about Veronyka!” said Thancred. Minfilia, to her credit, only blushed slightly.

“And?” said Minfilia. “You know as well as I that she is reckless and impulsive, leaping headlong into danger without considering the consequences.”

“Remind you of anyone?” Thancred asked, a small smile on his lips as he folded his arms over his chest.

“Yda?” Minfilia asked. Thancred shook his head, still smiling.

“You,” said Thancred. “When you were younger, I mean. Before you became the Antecedent and grew up.”

“Tell me, does Veronyka seem… changed after today?” Minfilia asked. Inwardly, Thancred was glad for the change of topic, even as he was amused that Minfilia didn’t seem to acknowledge what he’d said.

“A little singed, but otherwise fine,” said Thancred. “Truly, I expected her to be more upset at the fates of the tempered.”

“Singed?” Minfilia asked, eyes wide, but the sounds of footsteps reached their ears, followed swiftly by the doors to the Solar opening. A small (though growing larger by the day) group entered, all speaking with each other. Minfilia beamed at the sight of them, Thancred giving her a knowing smile as he straightened up. Worried about Veronyka’s impulsive nature, indeed. Minfilia worried for Veronyka for the same reason that Thancred worried for Zelda. He had enough experience in the romantic department to know when feelings were kindled.

“Lady Minfilia, the mission was a success,” said Zelda, stepping to the front of the group. “I assume that the Flames informed you of this?”

“Actually, it was mostly Thancred,” said Minfilia. “Glad am I to see you all returned safe and sound.”

“Just a little singed,” said Jack, ruffling a hand over his soot-laden fur.

“Ifrit kept burning the ground under our feet,” said Veronyka with a huff, and Minfilia noticed, with alarm, that Veronyka’s mage robe was now considerably shorter than it had been. She was also wearing different shoes.

“Are you alright, though?” Minfilia asked. Thancred stifled a laugh in his fist.

“Physically, yes,” said Zelda.

“Which is more than I can say for the poor tempered souls,” said Astrid.

“Actually, I had a question about that,” said Zelda. “Ifrit tried to temper us before we fought him, yet it didn’t work. Why was that? He mentioned that we’d been claimed by another?”

“That would be how the Echo is understood by primals, yes,” said Minfilia. “The Echo, you see, not only grants you visions and special abilities, it also prevents you from becoming tempered.”

“Is that why you sent us against Ifrit, then?” Jack asked.

“In essence, yes,” said Minfilia.

“Did you know that it would work?” Jack asked, brow furrowed.

“Yes,” said Minfilia again, patiently. “I would not have sent you up against Ifrit had I not been positive that you would not be tempered. I only regret that it had to unfold this way.”

“It’s okay,” said Veronyka. “We all got out okay in the end, and Ifrit is gone.”

“For now,” said Thancred. “Unfortunately, primals like him have a habit of resurfacing. The other beast tribes haven’t stopped in their efforts to summon their own gods, either. Unfortunately.”

“Yes, unfortunately,” said Minfilia with a sigh, though mostly at the fact that Thancred had essentially poured cold water on the victory. “However, until then, I suggest that you all rest and enjoy your solitude for now. I fear that it will not be long before everyone comes looking for the slayers of Ifrit.”

“Great,” said Jack with a sigh. “Where’s the nearest tavern?”

“Right outside, actually,” said Thancred. “Tataru should point you in the direction of it.”

“Thanks,” said Jack, giving a nod. He cast his gaze to Veronyka, and Thancred recognised the familial bonds beginning to grow between them. He’d felt them himself, though not as a father for his daughter. Minfilia had been young when he’d first met her, but not that young. More like a little sister. Jack, however, he knew to be of forty summers, while Veronyka seemed around the same age as Yda.

“Go and enjoy your drink,” said Veronyka, waving a hand. “I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” Jack asked, raising a brow at her. “You were on fire not two bells ago.”

“That was the astral fire,” said Veronyka with a huff and a lash of her tail.

Minfilia winced, pressing a hand to her temple as the pressure of an Echo headache grew. In a flash, she found herself in the fiery arena that Ifrit had formed.

_“The nail!” Zelda shouted as Astrid held her shield up in front of her to dodge a blast of Ifrit’s fiery breath. Parts of her hair began to smoke, but she was far more invested in preventing her teammates from being burned alive._

_Theo leaped over to the infernal nail that Ifrit had called into the centre of the arena, hacking at it with his rogue blades. From further back, Veronyka and Jack turned and began to sling spells at the nail, which cracked beneath the ice spells, the temperature change working with the electricity from thunder spells to crumble away the nail until it collapsed completely._

_“Got it!” Veronyka shouted. Zelda nodded, then looked up and swore, a healing spell at the ready as Ifrit leaped into the air, charging up a blast of fire._

_“Everyone, to me!” Zelda called. Even Astrid ran to her, her shield up in front of her as Zelda cast spells to knit together wounds and mend burned skin even as Ifrit burned the very air in an inferno._

_The fight continued, the group spreading out again, though Minfilia gasped as she beheld the ground cracking in places, right beneath Veronyka’s feet. There was a distant explosion, and Minfilia looked to see Jack diving out of the way of erupting ground._

_“Veronyka, look out!” Jack called. Veronyka looked beneath her feet, jumping away with a yelp as her legs were grazed by the explosion. She hissed at the primal, tail lashing behind her, and prepared more powerful spells to fling at Ifrit with renewed vigour._

_“Get out of the fire!” Zelda shouted at her, diving close to the edge of the arena and trying to get Veronyka’s attention._

_Too late, Veronyka noticed the earth burning beneath her feet, the skirt of her robe now aflame as her sandals melted off her feet. Minfilia’s heart twisted as Veronyka gave a scream. A splash of water from Zelda doused the flames, followed by healing magic that healed the burned skin to a pinkish, tender state._

_“Are you okay?” Zelda asked._

_“I’m fine,” said Veronyka as she limped away from her, ready to start slinging spells again._

“Are you okay?” It was somewhat bizarre to hear Zelda say those words again in the waking world, but Minfilia only nodded, rubbing her forehead. She looked directly at Veronyka, who stepped back a little under her gaze. She seemed closer to Minfilia than she had been before.

“That was not astral fire, Veronyka,” said Minfilia.

“See?” said Jack with a huff of a laugh.

“Stupid Echo,” Veronyka muttered, tail lashing behind her, ears pinned to her head.

“Betrayed by the Echo,” said Thancred, an amused smile on his face. It was good to see the light back in his eyes. Very good. “Don’t even try to hide anything from someone with the Echo, they’ll see it all.”

“Which can, admittedly, make relationships rather difficult,” said Minfilia. “You may see parts of your friends that you never wanted to know about.”

“Is there any way to make it stop?” Zelda asked, cheeks flushing.

“I’ve found that the Echo is usually triggered by mentioning an event,” said Minfilia. “Do you recall the first time that Thancred saw it being used, when you helped that poor refugee woman?”

“Aye,” said Zelda, nodding.

“She mentioned being innocent, and then we had that Echo vision that showed her buying the meat, not stealing it at all,” said Veronyka.

“Precisely,” said Minfilia, giving a nod at that. “Therefore, it you would like your friends to not bear witness to your most… intimate moments with your partners, I would advise you to not make mention of those moments around your friends with the Echo.”

“Trust me,” said Thancred. “Even saying ‘wouldn’t you like to know?’ is enough to trigger the Echo.”

“Noted,” said Zelda, cheeks still pink. “Do you know if there is any way out of an Echo vision?”

“Unfortunately, no,” said Minfilia. “I have tried, many times. Not even being doused with cold water is enough. We must simply let the visions play out as they will, and do our best to deal with any awkwardness that ensues.”

“Well, that sounds wonderful,” said Jack with a huff. Theo grinned, and Zelda looked as if she might punch him.

“I am obliged to ask you to please not misuse the Echo, of course,” said Minfilia. “Though, if you have any other questions, I beg you come to me with them. And, Veronyka, pray drink some water to rehydrate after your ordeal.”

As the group left, Veronyka looking decidedly chagrined, Thancred turned to Minfilia, a knowing smirk on his lips.

“’Do not misuse the Echo’, says the one who just misused it to call her crush out on her lie,” said Thancred.

“Ah, but I did not do so intentionally,” said Minfilia. “I cannot call on the Echo at will, as Krile can. She would not teach me her trick.”

“More pity you,” said Thancred, that smile still on his lips. “I know you’d love to know all about the mysterious Veronyka.”

“She is entitled to her secrets,” said Minfilia. Though she did not deny it, either.

“In all seriousness, Minfilia, glad am I to see that you have developed a fondness for her,” said Thancred.

“And I you,” said Minfilia. “I wish you and Zelda happiness.”

“You should take Veronyka out for a celebratory drink,” said Thancred as he made for the doors to the Solar.

“Much as I would love to do just that, I am afraid that the work of an Antecedent is never done,” said Minfilia. “Perhaps someday, if ever we are granted respite.”

“Don’t overwork yourself,” said Thancred. “Though I may as well be speaking to the wall for all that you will listen.” Minfilia rolled her eyes at him.

“Go and have fun with Zelda,” said Minfilia. “I will be here.”

She would always be here. Perhaps Thancred was right… but no. Her duty to the Mothercrystal had to come first. She had been selected for this purpose, after all, and she must fulfil it. As the Mother demanded.


End file.
